Pixel Watch 4 Gains One-Handed Gestures & Smarter Replies
▼ Summary
– Google is rolling out WearOS 6.1 for the Pixel Watch 2, 3, and 4, but new one-handed gestures are exclusive to the Pixel Watch 4.
– A new “double pinch” gesture allows Pixel Watch 4 users to perform actions like scrolling alerts, controlling music, and taking photos by tapping fingers twice.
– A “wrist turn” gesture on the Pixel Watch 4 can silence calls or dismiss notifications by quickly turning the wrist away and back.
– Smart replies are improved for the Pixel Watch 3 and 4 with a new on-device AI model that is faster, uses less memory, and provides better quality suggestions.
– The new smart reply feature generates contextual responses without needing a phone connection, offering a useful alternative to typing or dictation.
The latest software update for Google’s Pixel Watch series introduces a significant upgrade, with WearOS 6.1 bringing exclusive new one-handed gestures and smarter reply functionality to the newest models. This rollout is available for the Pixel Watch 2, 3, and 4, but the most advanced features are reserved for the latest hardware. Specifically, the Pixel Watch 4 gains two novel gesture controls, while enhanced smart replies powered by a new AI model come to both the Pixel Watch 3 and 4.
A feature called double pinch allows users to perform various actions by tapping their index finger and thumb together twice. This gesture, reminiscent of functionality on Apple and Samsung devices, lets you scroll through notifications, snooze an alarm, send a quick smart reply, control music, or take a photo. Google has also indicated that the ability to answer and end phone calls with a double pinch will be added soon.
The second new gesture is wrist turn. By quickly rotating your wrist away from you and back, you can silence an incoming call or dismiss a notification on the Pixel Watch 4. To help users learn these new inputs, the watch face will display on-screen hints indicating when the gestures are available for use.
Beyond physical controls, the update substantially improves the smart reply system. This enhancement is driven by a new, custom on-device language model built on Google’s Gemma technology. This model generates context-aware suggested responses directly on the watch, eliminating the need for a constant connection to a paired smartphone. Google states this new system is now twice as fast and uses one-third of the memory compared to the previous model. The overall quality of the suggested replies is also expected to be better, making the feature a more practical and efficient alternative to voice dictation or typing on the small display.
(Source: The Verge)
